You are here:Home/Blog/Mindset/3 Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make & How to Fix Them

Something about me that you may not know is that I’m an introvert.

I’m not the shy type of introvert. I’m willing to chat with almost anyone, and I actually enjoy that! However, I find being around a crowd or having long conversations extremely draining and need “down time” to make up for it. Make sense?

Introversion is a fine personality trait, but it can hinder me in the online business world in several ways. Because I’m an introvert, I’m also very private. (I’m not one to overshare although I married a man who often does. Ha! It is nice to have an extroverted husband when we go out with other couples and families. I never have to feel the pressure to carry the conversation. 🙂 #introvertproblems)

Being a private person made, scratch that, makes it difficult for me to share myself on social media, in emails, and in blog posts. It makes it difficult for me to ask for help. I’d rather figure it out on my own. It makes it difficult for me to do the “fix” listed under #2 below which involves talking to people. Ha!

I’ve had to dig deep, be BOLD, and follow my deep desire to help people in order to push myself outside my comfort zone. I’ve pushed myself to share more, network more, ask for help more, and talk to people more. I’ve worked hard over the past 5 years to hold my shoulders high when walking through a crowded room of strangers rather than hunch over and look down hoping no one notices me. The easy road for me is to be reclusive and avoid conversation (which can appear stuck up – the opposite of who I really am!). The harder road is to shine with confidence and purposely make conversation. It has truly been a practice for me and continues to be. And I so love the journey!

I didn’t want this single personality trait to hurt my business. I wanted to find a way to solve this! So, I’ve hired several coaches, joined mastermind groups, spoken publicly (YIKES!), been photographed in fitness photo shoots, and traveled to in-person events alone. I’ve had to catch planes without my travel-savvy husband, rent cars, grab cabs, and many other things that pushed me. Quite honestly, I could have easily let this trait keep me from starting my business in the first place. I’m so glad I didn’t make that mistake.

Although I do feel more and more confident every day, I still make mistakes along the way. Obvi. I made a TON of mistakes when I first got started. I want to save you a little headache and share with you 3 common mistakes entrepreneurs make and how to fix them.

Here we go…

3 Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make and How to Fix Them

Mistake #1 – Not defining your target market

When you don’t clearly identify your target market, you don’t have anyone to talk to in your posts. You don’t have anyone to sell your awesome products, services, and programs to. When you’re talking to everybody, you’re talking to nobody! You can’t be all things to all people.

The Fix: Think of a person that is an ideal client. Write down everything about her (or him). Is she married? How old is she? Did she go to college? Does she have kids? Where does she shop?

Knowing who you’re trying to attract helps you frame your posts in a way that it will speak to her!

Mistake # 2 – Not speaking the language of your target audience

Last year, I wrote a blog post called, “How do I get that toned look?” I had a few fellow fitness professionals call me out on using the word toned. If you’re familiar with the fitness industry, you know that this word is controversial among female fitness pros. It’s a big deal. There are even memes that say things like “Toning is for printers.” Ha! I certainly understand that technically getting toned requires strength training and a fat loss diet. It is simply body recomposition. However, when my email subscribers ask me about how to get toned ALL the time and the words body recomposition never come up, I made a conscious choice to use the language of my audience rather than my peers.

Since I knew that this was the language of my target female audience, the blog post got a lot of traction from the right people despite being criticized by others.

The Fix: How can you know their language? Talk to your people! Send surveys to your email list, current clients, and past clients. Make a note of what people in your target market are posting as struggles, obstacle, and pain points on social media. Ask your subscribers to reply and share their wins and struggles. Then, USE the language they are speaking when you craft emails, sales copy, and blog posts. This will help your target audience connect with you and know that you “get” them.

There is a big difference in reaching out to people who’ve expressed interest in what you do vs. inboxing a friend from high school that you’ve not spoken to since! You know? The ones that send you a link only or they tell you you’re a perfect fit for something despite not knowing much about you anymore. Don’t be that annoying person!

The Fix:Consistently put out valuable content. This can be emails, blog posts, social media posts, youtube videos, live streaming, and more. Your audience will LOVE you for the content and want more! People will start to see you as the expert and come to you with questions or to pick your brain. These people are your warm market! Have conversations with them. Build relationships and trust over time. Share some of the results of your clients and a sneak peek into your life. You will become the go-to expert for those around you! Selling your programs, products, and services will be a natural progression.

That’s good news, right!?

My mentor and friend, Amanda Tress, wants to dig deeper into this type stuff with you! After years of building my own online business, I’ve learned the value of having a coach. If you are ready to take your online presence to the next level and build momentum in your business, I invite you to learn more about Amanda’s “Business Accelerator Workshop“ today. She will help you connect with the right clients, expand your reach, and accelerate the growth of your business!

To your success,

xo -Jill

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Your program pricing does not go up, but if you register through my link I get a bit for referring you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

JOIN MY VIP LIST

I agree to have my personal information transfered to AWeber ( more information )

Enter your name and email to receive my FREE guide - The Lean Lifestyle Formula for Busy Moms AND a BONUS gift today!

I hate spam, too! Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.

Jill Jacobs on Pinterest

Disclaimer and Disclosure

Disclosure: I am the author or an affiliate partner with many of the products and services on this site which means I receive a small amount of compensation for each time someone purchases a product through my affiliate link. Please know, I only recommend products and programs that I've tried and fully believe in!
You can read my full disclaimer and disclosure statement here.